Seventeen year-old
Britta Flannery is at ease only in the woods with her dagger and bow.
She spends her days tracking criminals alongside her father, the
legendary bounty hunter for the King of Malam—that is, until her father
is murdered. Now outcast and alone and having no rights to her father’s
land or inheritance, she seeks refuge where she feels most safe: the
Ever Woods. When Britta is caught poaching by the royal guard, instead
of facing the noose she is offered a deal: her freedom in exchange for
her father’s killer.

However, it’s not so simple.

The
alleged killer is none other than Cohen McKay, her father’s former
apprentice. The only friend she’s ever known. The boy she once loved who
broke her heart. She must go on a dangerous quest in a world of warring
kingdoms, mad kings, and dark magic to find the real killer. But Britta
wields more power than she knows. And soon she will learn what has
always made her different will make her a daunting and dangerous force.

Kyle Henry has a new
name, a new school, and a new life—one without the shadow of the
Bonebreaker hanging over him. It's been a year since his serial killer
father's execution, and it finally looks like things are turning around
for Kyle.

Until he recognizes the girl sitting in the back row in homeroom.

Naomi
Steadman is immediately intrigued by Killdeer Academy's newcomer. She
does not know he is the son of the man who murdered her mother. What she
does know is she and Kyle have a connection with each other—and a spark
that Kyle continues to back away from.

Soon after Kyle’s
arrival, the death count on campus starts to rise. Someone is set on
finishing what the Bonebreaker started, and murdering ghosts from the
past may be the only thing that can stop the spree.

Told in alternating viewpoints, Kat Ellis’s tale of mystery and horror is full of broken bonds and new beginnings.

The year is 1908.
Seventeen-year-old Rosalind Wallace’s blissful stay in England with her
best friend, Cecily de Vere, has come to an abrupt end, which is fine
with Rosalind. She was getting tired of being high society Cecily’s
American “pet.” Her industrialist father is unveiling his fabulous new
Transatlantic Express, the world’s first underwater railway. As a
publicity stunt he has booked her on the maiden voyage—without asking.
Rosalind is furious. But lucky for her, Cecily and her handsome older
brother, Charles, volunteer to accompany her home.

Fun turns to
worry when Charles disappears during boarding. Then, deep under the sea,
Cecily and her housemaid, Doris, are found stabbed to death in their
state room. Rosalind is now trapped on Father’s train—fighting to clear
herself of her friend’s murder, to find the killer, and ultimately to
uncover the sinister truth behind the railway’s construction.

LEXI is a rich girl who
loves a good rush. Whether it’s motorcycle racing or BASE jumping off a
building in downtown Los Angeles, the only times she feels alive are
when she and her friends are executing one of their dares. After her
father’s arrest, Lexi doesn’t think twice about going undercover at his
bank to steal the evidence that might clear his name. She enlists her
hacker brother and her daredevil friends to plan a clever heist.

CHRISTIAN
is a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. The local gang has
blackmailed him and his friends into robbing banks, and he is desperate
for a way out. When the boss promises that one really big job will be
the last he ever has to do, Christian jumps at the chance for freedom.
In fact, he’s just met a girl at the bank who might even prove useful. .
. .

Two heists. One score. The only thing standing in their way is each other.

Told
in alternating points of view, this caper is full of romance and
fast-paced fun. Hand to fans of Perfect Chemistry, The Conspiracy of Us,
and Heist Society.

For fans of The DUFF, this hilarious and true-to-teen romance is Broad City meets Judy Blume.

The summer before college, Hannah swears she’s finally going to find The One.
And for five perfect minutes, Hannah does find him. He’s cute and makes
her laugh like crazy. She just wishes she’d caught his name, because
Toilet Boy Cinderella really lacks sex appeal.

For
Sam, the summer is off to a bad start for a million reasons. But for
five minutes his luck changes: in a fancy restroom painted purple like
it belongs in a Bond villain hideaway, Sam falls head over heels for
some strange and hilarious girl. Of course, he doesn’t know her name.
With his luck, he’ll never see her again, and he’ll remain a
girlfriendless, moony-eyed virgin. Forever.

But another
chance meeting brings them together, only to have a chance
misunderstanding drive them apart . . . and then the cycle starts all
over again. Madcap mishaps, raunchy hilarity, and deep romance follow
these two wherever they go. For two people so clearly destined for each
other, they sure have a hell of a lot of trouble even getting together.

A contemporary YA novel
with notes of magical realism. 16-year-old Lorelei has a voice that can
change hearts and minds – sometimes unintentionally – and she must learn
to gain control of her power before it devastates the people she loves.
Publication is set for fall 2016.

While violence
runs rampant throughout New York, a teenage girl faces danger within her
own home in Meg Medina's riveting coming-of-age novel.

Nora
Lopez is seventeen during the infamous New York summer of 1977, when
the city is besieged by arson, a massive blackout, and a serial killer
named Son of Sam who shoots young women on the streets. Nora’s family
life isn’t going so well either: her bullying brother, Hector, is
growing more threatening by the day, her mother is helpless and falling
behind on the rent, and her father calls only on holidays. All Nora
wants is to turn eighteen and be on her own. And while there is a
cute new guy who started working with her at the deli, is dating even
worth the risk when the killer likes picking off couples who stay out
too late? Award-winning author Meg Medina transports us to a time when
New York seemed balanced on a knife-edge, with tempers and temperatures
running high, to share the story of a young woman who discovers that the
greatest dangers are often closer than we like to admit — and the
hardest to accept.

Colt Jenson and his younger brother, Bastian,
have moved to a new, working-class suburb. The Jensons are different.
Their father, Rex, showers them with gifts — toys, bikes, all that
glitters most — and makes them the envy of the neighborhood. To the
local kids, the Jensons are a family out of a movie, and Rex a hero —
successful, attentive, attractive, always there to lend a hand. But to
Colt he's an impossible figure: unbearable, suffocating. Has Colt got
Rex wrong, or has he seen something in his father that will destroy
their fragile new lives? This brilliant and unflinching new novel
reveals internationally acclaimed author Sonya Hartnett at her most
intriguing and psychologically complex.

A sharp-witted teenager discovers surprising truths after her
mother’s death in a wry and heartrending novel touching on denial,
identity, and family lore.When her mother is knocked down and killed by a
London bus, fifteen-year-old Melon Fouraki is left with no family worth
mentioning. Her mother, Maria, never did introduce her to a living,
breathing father. The indomitable Auntie Aphrodite, meanwhile, is
hundreds of miles away on a farm in Crete, and she is not likely to jump
on a plane to come to East Finchley anytime soon. But at least Melon
has The Story. The Story is the Fouraki family fairy tale. A story is
something. Balanced with tenderness and humor, this time-shifting novel
offers a narrator by turns angry and vulnerable, hurt and defiant as she
struggles with sudden grief—and the unfolding process of finding out
who she really is.

This electric
cross-country thriller follows the game of cat and mouse between a girl
on the run from a murder she witnessed—or committed? —and the boy who's
sent to kill her.

Nicolette Holland is the girl everyone likes.
Up for adventure. Loyal to a fault. And she's pretty sure she can get
away with anything...until a young woman is brutally murdered in the
woods near Nicolette's house. Which is why she has to disappear.

Jack
Manx has always been the stand-up guy with the killer last name. But
straight A's and athletic trophies can't make people forget that his
father was a hit man and his brother is doing time for armed assault.
Just when Jack is about to graduate from his Las Vegas high school and
head east for college, his brother pulls him into the family business
with inescapable instructions: find this ruthless Nicolette Holland and
get rid of her. Or else Jack and everyone he loves will pay the price.

As
Nicolette and Jack race to outsmart each other, tensions—and
attractions—run high. Told in alternating voices, this tightly plotted
mystery and tense love story challenges our assumptions about right and
wrong, guilt and innocence, truth and lies.

In a gripping thriller with a hint of Oliver Twist, a street kid and his dog are chasing an unlikely fortune — and dodging the thugs who would steal it.

Twelve-year-old
Bully has lost his mum and his old life. Living rough on the streets of
London with his dog, Jack, he can’t imagine a future. But one day he
finds, tucked inside his most cherished possession—the last birthday
card his mother ever gave him—a lottery ticket he bought her. And it’s a
winner. A big winner. Suddenly there’s hope, if only he can
get to his prize on time! But just as Bully’s prospects open up, peril
closes in. Now ruthless gangsters are in hot pursuit, and everyone wants
a piece of him. Whom can he trust to help him retrieve what's his? And
even if Bully does claim all that money, will he really be winning what
he needs most? Michael Byrne's thrill-packed debut delivers the
emotionally charged story of a boy whose luck has changed for the
better, if only he can survive long enough to claim it.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

The wonderful Deborah Underwood is visiting The Hiding Spot today to celebrate the release of the hilarious new Cat book, Here Comes Valentine Cat. And don't forget to pick up a copy of Here Comes Santa Cat for the holiday; it's one of my favorite holiday picture books! Check out the interview to find about more about Deborah's process, her inspiration, and the next Cat book!

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Tell us a bit about your writing process. Do you begin with the text, a general idea, specific scenes...?

My process varies from book to book. Sometimes I start with a title, and sometimes with a character.
The process for the Cat books is unique for me: I actually do rough sketches as I write, because Cat’s actions and expressions are critical to the stories. In general, an author would never submit illustrations along with a story, but this seemed to be the easiest way to get the idea across when I was writing the first book in the series (Here Comes Easter Cat). Since this approach seemed to work for all of us, we just continued in the same manner for the next books.

After my sketches are done and the book is edited, it goes to the wonderful illustrator, Claudia Rueda, and she takes it from there. Claudia and I don’t communicate directly at all during the illustration process. Picture book authors and illustrators typically don’t; it would be hard for an illustrator to work if an author was hanging over her shoulder trying to direct!

One of the reasons I so love your Cat books is because my cat, Isabella, and Cat have a lot in common – including their distrust of dogs. Do you have a feline friend who inspires your Cat series?

As a matter of fact, the series was inspired by my own dear kitty, Bella! If you look at the book flap, in fact, you’ll see that she claims credit for writing the entire series. Cats! (You can see Bella in the photo at the top of this post, too!)

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Name a notable book that provided you with a hiding spot.

You’ve probably heard this before, but the Harry Potter series was a big favorite! J.K. Rowling created such a complete, vivid, and enchanting world, and it was delightful to slip into it again every time a new book came out.

What can readers look forward to next?

After Here Comes Valentine Cat, next up is Good Night, Baddies, a picture book about what all the “bad” fairy tale characters do after they clock out and go home. (Hint: they’re probably nicer than you expect!) The book has gorgeous illustrations by Juli Kangas, and publishes in May of 2016. After that, more Cat! We’re working on Here Comes Teacher Cat right now.

The New York Times bestselling Cat is back just in time for Valentine’s Day—but he’s not interested in giving a valentine to any old dog. This homage to classic comic strips is perfect for fans of Pete the Cat, Bad Kitty, Mo Willems’s Pigeon books, and of course, Cat’s two previous capers, Here Comes the Easter Cat and Here Comes Santa Cat.

Cat does NOT like Valentine's Day. It's much too mushy, and no way is
he making anyone a valentine—especially not his new neighbor, Dog. Dog
refuses to respect the fence: He keeps tossing over old bones and
hitting Cat in the head! But just as Cat’s about to send Dog an angry
"valentine" telling him exactly what he can do with his bones, Dog
throws a ball over the fence. What is Dog playing at? Cat is in
for a hilarious—and heartwarming—surprise in this story about being
perhaps too quick to judge.

Deborah Underwood is the author of numerous fiction books for children, including A Balloon for Isabel, Pirate Mom, Part-Time Princess, and the New York Times bestsellers Here Comes the Easter Cat, The Quiet Book, and The Loud Book. She has written more than 25 nonfiction books for kids, and her work has appeared in National Geographic Kids, Ladybug, Spider, and Highlights for Children. She lives in northern California with her cat, Bella.

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

In this incredible, heart-wrenching story reminiscent of E. Nesbit’s Five Children and It,
Kate Saunders illustrates the power of war but the even greater power
of family, and the love that carries us out of the darkness of despair
into the light of hope.

The sand fairy, also known
as the Psammead, is merely a creature from stories Lamb and Edith have
heard their older brothers and sisters tell . . . until he suddenly
reappears. Lamb and Edith are pleased to have something to take their
minds off the war, but this time the Psammead’s magic might have a
serious purpose.

Before their adventure ends, all will be
changed, and the Lamb and Edith will have seen the Great War from every
possible viewpoint—that of factory workers, soldiers and sailors, and
nurses. But most of all, the war’s impact will be felt by those left
behind, at the very heart of their family.

An irrepressible orphan
named Audacity Jones is headed on an adventure of historic proportions!
The first book in a brand-new series from beloved Newbery Honor author
Kirby Larson!

Audacity Jones is an eleven-year-old orphan who
aches for adventure, a challenge to break up the monotony of her life at
Miss Maisie's School for Wayward Girls. Life as a wayward girl isn't so
bad; Audie has the best of friends, a clever cat companion, and plenty
of books to read. Still, she longs for some excitement, like the
characters in the novels she so loves encounter.

So when the
mysterious Commodore Crutchfield visits the school and whisks Audie off
to Washington, DC, she knows she's in for the journey of a lifetime. But
soon, it becomes clear that the Commodore has unsavory plans for
Audie--plans that involve the president of the United States and a
sinister kidnapping plot. Before she knows it, Audie winds up in the
White House kitchens, where she's determined to stop the Commodore dead
in his tracks. Can Audie save the day before it's too late?

It
all starts when Professor Eisenstone, scientist and inventor, creates a
box that’s supposed to turn whatever you imagine into reality. There’s
only one problem: he can’t get it to work. Until Tim shows up. An orphan
with an especially keen imagination, Tim brings to life Phil, an
eloquent finger monkey with a dry sense of humor. Tim and Professor
Eisenstone work in secret to make the box more powerful. But when
Eisenstone is kidnapped along with his contraption, Tim, Phil, and the
professor’s granddaughter, Dee, must find the criminals before they use
the box to turn their imagined evil into something all too real.
Creating a miniature monkey is all well and good. But in order to rescue
his friend, Tim will have to face his darkest fears and unleash the
true potential of his own mind.

When Luke's annoying
older brother became a superhero instead of him, Luke thought he
couldn't get any more disgruntled-- until his friend Lara became a
superhero, too. Now Luke's feeling totally left out; even his best
friend gets mad at him when Luke's attempts at crime-solving without
superpowers go terribly awry. So when Luke discovers an alien plot to
overthrow the world, he's got nobody to turn to who'll listen...nobody
but his sworn enemy. In this hilarious sequel to My Brother is a
Superhero, Luke will have to put on his big-boy Daredevil underpants and
find out what heroes and villains are truly made of.

Juniper may have secured her kingdom, but danger – and adventure – are far from over.

The
land known as Queen's Basin is securely under Juniper's rule, and the
time has come to focus on saving her father's kingdom. But before she
can return to Torr, Juniper must find her subjects' missing horses,
which were taken by a tribe of the Anju who live in the Hourglass
Mountains – the very tribe her mother once belonged to.

Juniper
arrives at the Anju settlement just as the tribe members are about to
begin ritual trials to select their next leader. Juniper, whose mother
had been next in line for the Anju throne, throws her own hat in the
ring. As she competes, however, she must answer the question that's been
tugging at her heart: Does she want to rule the Anju because they are
her mother's people, or does she have less noble intentions in mind?

Juniper must prove to everyone – especially herself – that she is a brave and strong ruler who puts all her subjects first.

This
book series is for girls who love climbing trees in their party dresses
and running races in their Mary Janes. It's for girls who know that
wearing hair ribbons doesn't stop someone from being strong, and liking
perfume and jewelry doesn't mean you can't be smart. Girls who don't
even know they're looking for role models will find one in Juniper.

As the summer winds down and Gladys Gatsby prepares to
start middle school, she is nervous about juggling schoolwork and
looming deadlines from her secret job as the New York Standard’s
youngest restaurant critic. When her editor pushes for a face-to-face
meeting to discuss more opportunities with the paper, Gladys knows she
must finally come clean to her parents. But her perfectly planned reveal
is put on hold when her parents arrive home with a surprise: her Aunt
Lydia, one of the only adults who knows her secret, fresh off the plane
from Paris. Gladys and Aunt Lydia try one last ruse to fool her editor
at the Standard, but even with her aunt’s help, Gladys just can’t manage
the drama of middle school and a secret life. It’s time for Gladys to
be true to herself and honest with her friends and family, regardless of
what those around her think.

A riveting historical art mystery for fans of Chasing Vermeer and The Westing Game, set in the Roaring Twenties!
It's 1929, and twelve-year-old Martha has no choice but to work as a
maid in the New York City mansion of the wealthy Sewell family. But,
despite the Gatsby-like parties and trimmings of success, she suspects
something might be deeply wrong in the household—specifically with Rose
Sewell, the formerly vivacious lady of the house who now refuses to
leave her room. The other servants say Rose is crazy, but scrappy,
strong-willed Martha thinks there’s more to the story—and that the
paintings in the Sewell’s gallery contain a hidden message detailing the
truth. But in a house filled with secrets, nothing is quite what it
seems, and no one is who they say. Can Martha follow the clues, decipher
the code, and solve the mystery of what’s really going on with Rose Sewell?

Inspired by true events described in a fascinating author’s note, The Gallery is a 1920s caper told with humor and spunk that readers today will love.

Magic is real -- and it
runs in the family -- in this charming fantasy adventure about a boy who
must balance his magical education with the demands of big-brotherhood,
perfect for fans of Jenny Nimmo and Angie Sage.

Henry Leach the
Eighth doesn't know it yet, but he's descended from a long line of
wandmakers. That means he has inherited mysterious powers, a trunk full
of strange artifacts... and a whole host of problems.

His biggest
problem at the moment, however, is his little sister, Brianna. She's
always had a special talent for getting in his way. And she takes
troublemaking to new heights when she's caught in the crossfire of
Henry's first major spell!

Heartfelt, funny, and imaginative, Wandmaker is sure to leave young readers spellbound.

A boy’s chance
encounter with a scruffy dog leads to an unforgettable friendship in
this deeply moving story about life, loss, and the meaning of family

Ben Coffin has never felt like he fits in. A former foster kid, he
keeps his head down at school to avoid bullies and spends his afternoons
reading sci-fi books at the library. But that all changes when he finds
a scruffy abandoned dog named Flip and befriends the librarian's
daughter, Halley. For the first time, Ben starts to feel like he belongs
in his own life. Then, everything changes, and suddenly, Ben is more
alone than ever. But with a little help from Halley's magician father,
Ben discovers his place in the world and learns to see his own magic
through others' eyes.

Equal parts heartbreaking and
heartwarming, this book is a must-read for dog lovers and fans of
emotionally resonant middle grade novels like One for the Murphys and Okay for Now.

From the author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy
comes the story of a friendship between two girls set in Victorian
England, with magical machines, wizards, witches, a mysterious
underworld, and a race against time.

Annabel Grey is
primed for a proper life as a young lady in Victorian England. But when
her mother suddenly disappears, she’s put in the care of two eccentric
aunts who thrust her into a decidedly un-ladylike life, full of potions
and flying broomsticks and wizards who eat nothing but crackers. Magic,
indeed! Who ever heard of such a thing?

Before Annabel can
assess the most ladylike way to respond to her current predicament, she
is swept up in an urgent quest. Annabel is pitted against another young
witch, Kitty, to rescue the sacred Moreover Wand from the dangerous
underworld that exists beneath London. The two girls outsmart trolls,
find passage through a wall of faerie bones, and narrowly escape a
dragon, but it doesn’t take long for Annabel to see that the most
dangerous part of her journey is her decision to trust this wild,
magical girl.

Sparkling with Karen Foxlee’s enchanting writing, this is a bewitching tale of one important wand and two most magical girls.

Pitched as a
21st-century WRINKLE IN TIME, about three friends who find themselves
plunged into a world of quantum physics, a rare disease that only
affects identical twins, and a mysterious fact about a real-life global
catastrophe.

Fourteen-year-old Tess is having a hard enough time understanding what
it means to be part white and part Navajo, but now she's coping with her
sister Gaby's announcement that she's going to enlist and fight in the
Iraq war. Gaby's decision comes just weeks after the news that Lori
Piestewa, a member of their community, is the first Native American
woman in US history to die in combat, adding to Tess's stress and
emotions. While Gaby is away, Tess reluctantly cares for her sister's
semi-wild stallion, Blue, who will teach Tess how to deal with tragic
loss and guide her own journey of self-discovery.

Lori
Piestewa was a real-life soldier who was killed in Iraq and was a member
of the Hopi tribe. Back matter includes further information about
Piestewa as well as a note by author Nancy Bo Flood detailing her
experiences living on the Navajo reservation. A pronunciation guide to
all Navajo vocabulary used within the text is also included.

When
an indoor calico cat named Patches spots a golden autumn leaf
fluttering past her window, she can't help but venture outside to chase
it. But soon, Patches feels something tugging at her, telling her to
find a special place--one she won't know until she sees it. Why must she
go on this search? She doesn't know yet.

Along the way, Patches
finds herself in dire circumstances, but with the help of the other
neighborhood animals, she faces off against the scariest dog in town and
continues on her journey to her special place.

Beautifully told
in verse and accompanied by adorable illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell,
this heartwarming novel from Newbery Honor winner, Marion Dane Bauer, is
a timeless, touching, and fulfilling story about finding your way home.

Friday, December 18, 2015

Full Cicada Moon, a gorgeous MG verse novel, was one of my favorite reads of 2016, so I'm incredibly happy to share this interview with author Marilyn Hilton at The Hiding Spot today. After reading the q&a, be sure to enter to win one of 3 finished copies of Full Cicada Moon!

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Mimi, the main character of Full Cicada Moon, is a joy to read. She’s bright and passionate and, even when the world seems determined to hold her back, she perseveres. Can you share a bit about your inspiration for Mimi’s character?

Thank you for saying that about Mimi! She was a joy for me to write, too. I wanted to write a book about a character like my kids (two daughters and a son), who are also mixed race and who, like Mimi, are intelligent, kind, determined, and courageous. I wanted Mimi to have the ability to transcend her current situation and move in the world as she believes it should be, instead of how it is. This belief in herself and her abilities, combined with her relentless persistence and optimism, are, I believe, what allowed Mimi to succeed. If she had been a real person, she would have changed the world in positive and remarkable ways.

In writing this character, I also drew on my own experiences growing up, remembering how it felt at times to be self-conscious and misunderstood, and how painful it is when you don’t fit in. These feelings are universal and timeless, which is why I think readers can relate to Mimi.

Full Cicada Moon, is written in verse, but your previous novel for middle grade readers, Found Things is not. How do you decide which format is best suited for a particular story or character? Do you feel more comfortable writing in a certain format?

The story naturally dictates the form, so I have to “listen” carefully for the right fit in the developmental stage of writing a book. Experimenting with the right format, point of view, and verb tense is fun, though it’s part of the work of writing. Once I figure this out, the writing becomes easier.

The story of Full Cicada Moon came to me very quickly, and to capture it as fast as it flowed, I began writing it in free-verse form. I had written lots of poetry in graduate school and beyond, so it felt natural to write this way. Also, this story is as much about Mimi’s observations and emotional responses as it is about what happens, and told from a deeply personal place in the character, so verse felt like a perfect fit for this story.

Tell me a little bit about your writing process: Do you outline? Start at the beginning? The middle? The end?

I really admire writers who can fully outline a book before they begin writing. I’m not one of those writers! I often begin writing because I have a character in a situation that intrigues me. With River, in Found Things, there was a girl who had lost her brother. With Mimi, in Full Cicada Moon, there was a girl of mixed race who was moving to a new home. And I have a question, like: “Will River find her brother?” or “Will Mimi succeed in her new home and at her new school?” I’ll also have a general idea of the story’s arc, and I know how the story will end. Then I begin writing from the beginning. But—either because I can’t keep track of too many details at once or because I like surprises—I like to see where the story goes as it’s being written. I love when it takes unexpected turns—for example, the character of Benjamin just popped into Found Things, and in Full Cicada Moon Mimi lived in 1969 and wanted to be an astronaut. Sometimes these surprises turn out to be rabbit trails, but at other times I realize they were always integral to the story and were just waiting to be discovered.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing or provided inspiration?

This is an interesting question! I’ve had so many jobs—worked in retail, was an administrative assistant, taught college remedial reading, and taught English in Japan. For the past several years I’ve been a technical writer in the software industry, and most recently a technical editor, which I enjoy. I’ve always loved language, and the relationships between words, sounds, images, thoughts, and emotions, and I’ve always wanted to write stories. I think that what has inspired me more than my jobs have been the people I’ve met and the stories they’ve told. Everyone has a fascinating story to tell, and whether the story is funny, sad, or sobering, it’s always humbling. A sacred connection occurs between the person telling and the person listening, as if the story is moving from one soul to the other, so I always feel inspired by this experience.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Definitely, my favorite word is “Try,” because you’ll never know what you can accomplish unless you try it. I’ve been surprised many times by trying to do something I never thought was possible. Trying gives us the freedom to fail, and in failing, we always learn something until finally we succeed. You never lose by trying—you can only win!

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Name a notable book that provided you with a hiding spot.

I had many hiding spots when I was growing up, but the book I loved most for a long time was Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary. I used to get into messes like Henry when I was a kid, so I could relate to him. But it was reassuring that everything always worked out fine for him in the end.
Years later, I fell in love with Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo for every reason—the story, the character Opal, the other flawed but lovable characters, the voice, and the magic. That book inspired me to write the kinds of stories I wanted to tell. In fact, the day before I met Kate for the first (and only time) at a book signing event, a package of ARCs (advanced reading copies) of Found Things had been delivered to my house. So, I took that as a good sign!

What can readers look forward to next?

I’m having fun trying out a few new ideas, which are different from the previous novels but also for middle-grade readers. I love writing for this age group, because readers are experiencing so many brand-new and exciting things, and the books they read can reflect and encourage these discoveries.

Inside Out and Back Again meets One Crazy Summer and Brown Girl Dreaming in this novel-in-verse about fitting in and standing up for what’s rightIt's
1969, and the Apollo 11 mission is getting ready to go to the moon. But
for half-black, half-Japanese Mimi, moving to a predominantly white
Vermont town is enough to make her feel alien. Suddenly, Mimi's
appearance is all anyone notices. She struggles to fit in with her
classmates, even as she fights for her right to stand out by entering
science competitions and joining Shop Class instead of Home Ec. And even
though teachers and neighbors balk at her mixed-race family and her
refusals to conform, Mimi’s dreams of becoming an astronaut never
fade—no matter how many times she’s told no.This historical
middle-grade novel is told in poems from Mimi's perspective over the
course of one year in her new town, and shows readers that positive
change can start with just one person speaking up.

Marilyn Hilton is the author of two novels and two nonfiction books.
She has also published numerous articles, devotions, short stories, and
poems in literary and consumer magazines, and has contributed to various
compilations. Her work has won several awards including the Sue
Alexander Award for 2011. She holds a MA in English/Creative Writing and has worked for several
years in the computer software industry as a technical writer and
editor. Marilyn is a member of several professional organizations. As a
freelance editor and a frequent contest judge, she enjoys helping other
writers develop their gifts. As a speaker, she enjoys encouraging her
listeners. As a writer, she enjoys telling “stories that stick” to
readers of all ages.

Thursday, December 17, 2015

A few weeks ago the wonderful Mariam (from Flying Through Fiction) and I buddy read Eric Lindstom's phenomenal novel, Not If I See You First. Mariam was prepping for exams and I was just beginning the descent into holiday retail madness (as one does as a bookseller), but we both devoured Lindstrom's debut. Today, Mariam are both thrilled to be featuring Lindstrom and Not If I See You First on our blogs. After you read my interview with Eric below, be sure to check out Mariam's post here!

________________________

I love how smart and snarky your main character is. Can you speak a bit about developing your main character’s voice and personality?

It’s relatively easy to make a character smart, since authors have more time to think about everything than anyone actually does in real time. The trick is not making them too smart or they’ll come off as contrived. Snarky is easy, too, because I just let Parker say things a lot of people would think but don’t say out loud. The decision to have her say these things was less straightforward. It came from this idea that Parker growing up got less negative feedback than average for her speech. Years of disapproving facial expressions encourage people who can see them to be more careful about what they say. This didn’t happen to Parker, so she has less filter than most.

Tell me a little bit about your writing process: Do you outline? Start at the beginning? The middle? The end?

Not If I See You First is the first story I’ve written without an outline, and it was an unexpectedly wonderful experience. But having no outline doesn’t mean I had no destinations in mind. I always have strong ideas about what conflicts to explore, and how I want them to evolve in high-level ways. The events themselves and the details come as I go. I think this combination of goals and flexibility is important. Characters need to be true to themselves in what they do, but also, a story about a journey that the author knows will end in failure should be written differently than if it will end in success. But once I know the basics, then it’s like building a tower, starting at the bottom and adding floors one at a time. I can never write a later scene out of sequence because everything has to be aware of every aspect of what came before, from the broadest concepts down to word choices. So while I know how things will generally turn out, I write linearly and freely from a starting point. Sometimes I do end up in a different place than I expected, and when that happens I’m usually very glad I did.

What jobs did you have on your way to becoming a published author? Is there a certain work experience that has shaped your writing or provided inspiration?

I’ve wanted to be an author since I was a little kid, but I’ve always understood it might take awhile to do it full time. After high school I got a degree in Mechanical Engineering, but it didn’t take long to see that it didn’t suit me as a career. Then I landed in the computer games industry by accident, writing instruction manuals for games, and later marketing and advertising copy, and I realized it was possible to have a career in writing without being a full-time novelist. Progressing in the video games industry, however, led me to becoming a game designer, which is the role that sets the rules and determines the content of a game, including writing any stories and dialog and descriptions, so my experience in games contributed a lot to my growth as a writer. But few roads are straight or simple; along the way I also got a teaching credential, worked as a substitute elementary school teacher, and a part-time kindergarten teacher. But really, just waking up and walking down the street gives a writer experience and inspiration about what to write.

If you had to pick a favorite word, what would it be and why?

Enigma. Because.

My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Name a notable book that provided you with a hiding spot.

That would have to be The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy by Douglas Adams. They are the only books I will pick up, flip to a random page, and start reading no matter where I landed. Sometimes for a few minutes, sometimes hours. It always makes me happy and ready to come back to the world and try again.

What can readers look forward to next?

I’m just now finishing my second book, a YA novel scheduled to release in the Fall of 2016, announcement to come soon!

Don't help me unless I ask. Otherwise you're just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don't be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I'm just like you only smarter.

Parker
Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why
she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because
she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart.

When
Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker
knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has
enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's
right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love
advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars
for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago.
But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker
learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the
more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe,
just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

In addition to writing Young
Adult novels, Eric Lindstrom has worked in the interactive entertainment
industry for years as a creative director, game designer, writer, and
usually combinations of all three. As Editor and Co-Writer for Tomb Raider: Legend he received a 2006 BAFTA nomination for Best Video Game Screenplay, and then as the Creative Director for Tomb Raider: Underworld
he received a 2009 BAFTA nomination for Best Action Adventure Video
Game and a 2009 WGA nomination for Best Writing in a Video Game.

He
has also raised children, which led to becoming first a school
volunteer, then a substitute teacher, then a part time kindergarten
teacher, then getting a credential to teach elementary school, and most
importantly the discovery that YA literature is awesome. It’s pretty
much all he ever reads, and now writes, in his house near the beach on
the west coast, with his wife and, yes, cats.